An independent committee formed by the Selangor government will review the investigation report into the Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion in April.
Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari said the panel, which includes technical experts and representatives of the government and opposition, was approved earlier this month at a state executive council meeting.
“The list of members will be released once they have formally accepted their appointments, and we expect this process to be finalised soon,” Amirudin told reporters after a visit to the site of the incident, Kosmo reported.
He said the committee will first examine reports from government agencies such as the occupational safety and health department, the fire and rescue department, and others.
On developments for home repairs in Taman Putra Harmoni due to the blast, Amirudin said 79 houses need to be fully rebuilt, with 49 owners agreeing to the plan while the remaining 30 rejected it for various reasons. “That is their right, but the government is still offering assistance on compassionate grounds,” he said.
He added that 120 homes fall under the medium-repair category, with costs ranging between RM30,000 and RM60,000 each.
“Of the 86 claims worth RM3.9 million, 61 have been settled involving RM2.6 million, while the rest will be settled by October,” he added.
In Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru, which is managed by Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd, 11 houses are being rebuilt, three of which have been completed, while the rest are expected to be ready by the end of October.
“Besides that, 94 homes are being repaired at a cost of around RM30,000 each. A total of 63 claims worth RM1.7 million have been received, 50 have already been paid out,” Amirudin said.
He added that the remaining claims, which exceed the cost ceiling, are being reviewed with the housing and local government ministry and the state government.
As for infrastructure, he said street lights have been reinstalled, while roadworks will only begin once the repair and rebuilding of homes are completed.
In July, a residents’ group called for an independent inquiry into the blast after the police decided to classify the case as requiring no further action.
Fadly Nordin, secretary of the Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru Residents’ Welfare Association, called for the findings of the investigation to be reviewed.
The Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion in April sent flames soaring over 30m high, with temperatures reaching 1,000°C. About 150 people sought hospital treatment.
